Books of matches



March 19, 1963 M. DIAMANT BOOKS OF MATCHES Filed Dec. 27, 1960 INVENTOR. Marcus Dzamana 3,981,866 BUOKS F hLlAT CHiES Marcus Diamant, Lanslasarettet, Halmstad, Sweden Filed Dec. 27, 196i), Ser. No. 78,710 1 Claim. ((11. 206-29) This invention relates to 'books of matches. By such books, the well known small packs of matches are meant which, for instance, are given with purchases of cigars or cigarettes, free of charge, at counters where smoking articles are sold.

The primary object of the invention is to generally improve such books of matches and, more particularly, to make it possible to cheapen and speed up the manufacture of books of matches.

The known books holding matches have a cover which has to be turned to make the matches accessible, and should be closed before a match removed from the book is struck. The closing before striking is important to prevent accidental ignition of the matches left in the book and injury to the user. It is an object of this invention to provide a book of matches which no longer requires taking precautionary measures, such as the closing of a cover.

In the known books of matches, the book and the matches are ordinarily made of different materials, and separately manufactured. The two processes are independent of each other. The present invention has as a more specific object the provision of a book of matches, both the book and the matches of which are made of the same material in one and the same process.

Due to the fact, as far as the prior art is concerned, that books and matches constitute independent products, as long as they are not united, the manufacture of books of matches required a step which puts the book and the matches together. This is usually done by stapling. One object of my invention is to do away with such connecting steps.

Further objects will become apparent from the following description.

The specification is accompanied by drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a book of matches according to my invention and illustrates one form for practicing the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank for a modified book of matches; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the book of matches made from the blank of FIG. 2.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, the book of matches shown consists of an envelope 1 made of cardboard or similar material. The envelope, when viewed in a section at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the envelope, is of a generally elliptic shape and is open at 23 and 24, that is, on the sides at the ends of said longitudinal axis. On each of the sides at the ends of the large axis of the ellipse, this axis being vertical to the longitudinal axis, the envelope has two reentrant surfaces 4 5 and 6, 7. The reentrant surfaces of each of the two pairs intersect each other along the lines 2 and 3, respectively, to form a V-shaped groove. The two grooves run parallel to the longitudinal axis of the envelope.

Book matches 3 extend parallel to the longitudinal axis on the inner face of the envelope and are secured at the edge 25 by having an end portion 9 bent around the edge 25 and by having the part of the end portion 9, which a i ate lies against the outer face of the envelope, secured to that Zhddlfihfi Patented Mar. 19, 1963 There is no turning of a cover needed to make the matches accessible.

The surfaces 4, 5 and 6, 7 are formed as friction surfaces to serve ignition purposes. The head of a match that has been pulled out from the envelope is placed between either of the two pairs of friction surfaces, and by pulling the head lengthwise between the friction surfaces which are held together by two fingers of a hand to secure friction, the match is set on fire. The friction surfaces are on the outside of the envelope which, apart from the open ends, is always closed and thus encloses the matches. It will be appreciated that, according to my invention, matches left in the envelope are never exposed to the hazard of undesirably taking fire. Thus, it is unnecessary to close the cover before striking a match since the remaining matches are always held under the same hidden conditions.

The parts of the matches which are secured to the external face of the envelope may suitably be provided with a coating which may either be applied by cementing or actually at the creasing be applied to the sheet. The coating may advantageously have perforations in order that each match may be released from the envelope without removing the coating wholly.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The book generally designated 26' (see FIG. 3) is constructed for a continuous line of manufacture. A blank or cutout 26 (see FIG. 2) consists of an elongated sheet 10 and two series of preforms or embryo book matches 17. The sheet 1% and the preforms 17 are made from cardboard by a single cutting out operation.

The sheet 10 consists of two panels 15 and 16; four leaves 11, 12, 13, and 14 and four flaps 19, 2%, 21, and 22. The leaves 11, 12, 13 and 14 are formed as friction surfaces and the two series of preforms 17 are provided alongside opposite sides of the panels 15 and 16 The flaps 21 and 22 are prepared to be cemented together, and so are the flaps 19 and 20 to be likewise cemented together. The heads of matches are formed by dipping the free ends of the preforms 17.

The preforms 17 are creased along two lengthwise running creases 13' and 18'. The portions outside the creases 18 form book matches 27. The length of the matches 27' corresponds approximately to the width of the sheet 10.

- The blank 26 is formed into the book of matches, identified by 26', first by folding portions of the preforms 1'7 downwardly along the creases 18, 18, when viewed with respect to the plane of the drawing. Then, folds are made along the creases 18', 13', so that the lines 13, 18 may be turned upwardly to coincide with the lines 28, 23. After this, the portions 2? between the creases 18 and 1d are turned into the portions St) between the creases 13' and the lines 28. Finally, the lengths of the matches 27, together with the portions 29, 30, are turned upwardly about the lines 28, 23 into the planes of the panels 15 and 16. FIG. 3 shows the matches 27 lying against the inside of the envelope, and the portions 29 and 3t? overlying the matches. FIG. 3 shows further a preform 17 bent outwardly of the envelope. From FIG. 3, it will further be seen that the doubled up portions of each match between 28, 18" and 18', 18 form a projection which makes it easy to act on a match and to bend it outwardly.

In order to form the envelope, the sheet Jill is folded at 31, 31', 32, and 32, and the flaps 21, 22 and 19, 20 are glued together. By doing this, the book assumes the shape shown in FIG. 3. The glued-together flaps 21, Q2 and 19, 2t impart a certain stability to the book.

It will thus be apparent that by a succession of operations which all are performed automatically along a single line of manufacture a cutout of cardboard or similar material is converted into a book of matches. The heads of h the matches 27 may be formed in any suitable manner, and the same is true for the friction layers that are applied to the flaps 11, 12, 13, and 14.

FIG. 2 also indicates a modification including four series of preforms rather than two. The two additional series are shown in dash-dot lines. Whereas in the case of two series of preforms, the series are provided on different panels, and each series of matches comes to lie across the inside of a different panel, in the case of four or two pairs of series of preforms, the matches of one series of each pair will overlie the matches of the other series of the same pair, with the heads of the matches of the series of one pair pointing in opposite directions.

If the matches themselves do not consist of a flexible material it is possible to lengthen their ends for instance by pasting on a strip of paper or similar material which may be folded around the envelope wall in order to fix the matches.

To stabilize the packages, especially to retain the folds of the envelope, it is possible to space a cardboard piece between the folds inside the envelope.

In a fitted cardboard sheet score lines or creases are arranged in a manner known per se to prepare the folds. The friction surfaces are adapted and the matches fixed at the sheet after which the sheet is folded after the score lines and sized together.

It is believed that the construction of my book of matches, and the many advantages thereof, will be understood from the foregoing detailed description. Some of the advantages are briefly reviewed hereinafter. The book of matches, according to the invention, affords the greatest safety. The matches remaining in the book are always shielded, for the book remains closed even while a match is removed, so that it cannot be overlooked to close the book, as is the case with the present books of matches. Therefore, when striking a match, the matches in the book cannot take fire. The embodiment shown in FIGS. 2

4 and 3 is made of a single piece of material. The manufacture of the book of matches of FIGS. 2 and 3 is similar to that of a folding box. Simply by cutting, creasing or scoring, and folding, the book is made in a series of consecutive operations. The steps of providing the heads of the matches, the friction surfaces, and any printing on the outside of the envelope are suitably interposed and automatically performed just as cutting, creasing, and folding.

It will be apparent that while I have shown and described my invention ina few forms only, many changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the following claims.

I claim:

A book of matches, including an envelope and matches, said envelope having a longitudinal axis and being permanently closed around said axis and open at the ends of said axis, the matches being arranged on at least a portion of the inner surface of said envelope and extending parallel to said axis, said envelope being of substantially elliptic cross section, with the section being taken at right angles to said axis, and being provided with two opposite pairs of intersecting reentrant surfaces extending parallel to said axis, said four reentrant surfaces being at least partly formed on their outside into friction surfaces.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,682,110 Bradner Aug. 28, 1928 1,849,432 Moriya Mar. 15, 1932 2,012,781 Young Aug. 27, 1935 2,097,839 Leukhardt Nov. 2, 1937 2,314,974 Ford Mar. 30, 1943 2,318,289 Carter May 4, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 929,048 France June 23, 1947 

